Making Homelessness A Priority
Last month, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), made up of Cabinet-level Secretaries of US government agencies that deal with issues surrounding homelessness, unveiled a new strategy to combat the rising number of families, especially veterans, without a stable home. The plan sets out four objectives: "(1) Finish the job of ending chronic homelessness in five years; (2) Prevent and end homelessness among Veterans in five years; (3) Prevent and end homelessness for families, youth, and children in ten years; and (4) Set a path to ending all types of homelessness." The document sets out a number of other smaller goals, and includes 52 strategies meant to help national and regional agencies better collaborate.
Of course, as with all proposals, as Nan Roman, President of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, points out, "plans are wonderful, but it is the implementation that will really make a difference." However, she notes, signs have been positive on this issue: "The administration has asked for significant additional funds in 2011 to end veteran homelessness, and to launch a new collaborative housing and services program that will end homelessness for thousands of families and disabled individuals." While this is indeed encouraging, the tell-tale sign of the government's movement on this issue will come when the programs must be paid for. Unfortunately, these issues are already popping up.
Whether or not Congress decides to fund all of the programs laid out by the USICH, there is one thing it can do to get the fight against homelessness off to a good start: fund the National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF). Lack of affordable housing is often cited as the number one cause of homelessness in our country; the 2009 U.S. Conference of Mayors Hunger and Homelessness Survey found that 74% of cities identified a lack of affordable housing as a main cause of family homelessness. $1 billion for the NHTF has already passed the House of Representatives twice this year, but both times it was unable to clear the Senate. Urge your Members of Congress (especially your Senators!) to ensure that the NHTF is funded, so we can take an important first step in ending homelessness in all of our communities.